Landmark Judgment for Women’s Rights – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted June 18th, 2018 in abortion, human rights, news, Northern Ireland, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom concluded on the 7th June 2018 that Northern Ireland’s laws on termination of pregnancy are incompatible with human rights. More specifically, in situations of rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormality a majority of the judges concluded that the law breaches the right to private life protected by article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Court highlighted the disproportionate nature of the interference, which stresses and humiliates women and girls experiencing a time of crisis. It further recognised the possibility that individual cases, in the three circumstances, may fall within the scope of article 3 and reach the threshold of severity required to be considered inhuman and degrading.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 14th June 2018

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Shona Wilson Stark: In Re Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’s Application for Judicial Review [2018] UKSC 27: A Declaration in All but Name? – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘All eyes were on the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) last week as it gave judgment in In Re Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’s Application for Judicial Review [2018] UKSC 27, the case challenging the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) compatibility of Northern Ireland’s abortion legislation. Such a case is always bound to be headline-grabbing and controversial. But even more heat than usual was generated by this case. For starters, it followed swiftly after the Republic of Ireland’s referendum vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment of its Constitution, which acknowledges the equal right to life of the unborn child. That led to public and political pressure for change on the other side of the border too. But the Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since January 2017 and Westminster legislating in this area in its absence – particularly if prompted by the UKSC – would provoke controversy. The Conservative Government’s Confidence and Supply Agreement with the traditionally pro-life Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) further complicates the possibility of reform on this side of the Irish Sea. The outcome of a challenge to the compatibility of the Northern Ireland legislation was therefore keenly anticipated by many. In the event, a Court of seven declined (by a majority) to make the declaration of incompatibility due to a lack of standing. Given the Court’s conclusions, however, the judgment may effectively be a declaration in all but name.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 12th June 2018

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Supreme Court rules on challenge to abortion ban in Northern Ireland – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 12th, 2018 in abortion, appeals, human rights, news, Northern Ireland by sally

‘On 7th June 2018, the Supreme Court handed down judgment in the case of regarding the controversial issue of the legal framework regulating abortion in Northern Ireland.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th June 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Northern Ireland’s abortion law violates human rights but challenge rejected on technical grounds, Supreme Court rules – The Independent

‘Supreme Court judges have said Northern Ireland’s abortion law violates human rights, but rejected a challenge brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIIHRC) on technical grounds.’

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The Independent, 7th June 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Abortion death after ‘repeated failures’ at Ealing clinic – BBC News

Posted May 2nd, 2018 in abortion, doctors, health & safety, homicide, inquests, news, nurses by tracey

‘A woman who died hours after having an abortion was let down by the “repeated failures” of medics, an inquest found.’

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BBC News, 1st May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Protests banned outside abortion clinic in landmark vote by London council – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 11th, 2018 in abortion, demonstrations, local government, news by sally

‘Campaigners said they were “completely elated” after a West London council voted to ban protesters from demonstrating outside an abortion clinic, and were hopeful this was “just the beginning”.’

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Daily Telegraph, 10th April 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ealing Council paves way to ban anti-abortion protesters – BBC News

Posted January 17th, 2018 in abortion, consultations, demonstrations, local government, news by sally

‘A council has moved to ban anti-abortion protesters from outside a Marie Stopes clinic in west London.’

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BBC News, 16th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council mulls consultation on public space protection order to protect health clinic – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Cabinet at the London Borough of Ealing will next week (16 January) consider whether to authorise a consultation on a possible Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) around a Marie Stopes clinic.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th January 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Home Office review over harassment at abortion clinics – BBC News

‘New laws could be introduced to protect women from harassment outside abortion clinics, the Home Office has said.’

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BBC News, 26th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The limits of protest and free speech – Legal Action

Posted November 23rd, 2017 in abortion, demonstrations, freedom of expression, harassment, news, public order by sally

‘Steve Hynes discusses the controversy surrounding anti-abortion protests outside an abortion clinic in west London and its possible implications for human rights law.’

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Legal Action, November 2017

Source: www.lag.org.uk

Why, 50 years after the Abortion Act, it’s time to abolish the law altogether – The Guardian

Posted October 26th, 2017 in abortion, bills, news by sally

‘Half a century after abortions were legalised, women seeking terminations are still being stigmatised. It’s time to take abortion out of the criminal code and regulate it like any other healthcare measure.’

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The Guardian, 25th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Antisocial behaviour ruling could halt anti-abortion protests outside clinics – The Guardian

Posted October 13th, 2017 in abortion, demonstrations, domestic violence, harassment, news by tracey

‘Anti-abortion protests outside clinics across the UK could be halted using antisocial behaviour legislation, a Labour MP has said, after her council took a significant decision to stop a group from approaching women at a west London clinic.’

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The Guardian, 12th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ealing abortion clinic protest ban approved – BBC News

Posted October 11th, 2017 in abortion, demonstrations, local government, London, news by tracey

‘An “unprecedented” ban on protesters outside abortion clinics could be introduced in a London borough. Councillors in Ealing overwhelmingly backed a proposal to stop anti-abortion groups protesting outside a Marie Stopes clinic in the borough.’

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BBC News, 11th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Abortion should not be a crime, says doctors’ body – BBC News

Posted September 25th, 2017 in abortion, doctors, news by sally

‘Abortions should be treated as a medical issue and not a crime, the UK’s leading pregnancy doctors say.’

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BBC News, 23rd September 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

ASA Ruling on Both Lives Matter poster – Law & Religion UK

Posted August 8th, 2017 in abortion, advertising, complaints, news by sally

‘On 2 August, the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) published its ruling on a poster by the pro-life campaign group Both Lives Matter following a challenge by fourteen complainants on whether the claim “100,000 People are alive today because of our laws on abortion” was misleading and could be substantiated. Their complaints were not upheld.’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th August 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Law Pod UK Episode 5: Further ruling on NI abortion rights, Charlie Gard, and transgender in Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community – 1 COR

‘Sarah Jane Ewart and Rosalind English discuss the latest developments in access to abortion for Northern Irish women, the lessons to be learned from the Charlie Gard case, and the difficult decision that the courts had to reach when considering the best interests of children in an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, where the father had left the community as a transgender person.’

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Law Pod UK, 6th July 2017

Source: audioboom.com

NI Abortion Refugees: further thoughts – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Was it unlawful for the Secretary of State for Health, who had power to make provisions for the functioning of the National Health Service in England, to have failed to make a provision which would have enabled women who were citizens of the UK, but who were usually resident in Northern Ireland, to undergo a termination of pregnancy under the NHS in England free of charge?’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15 June 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Supreme court narrowly rejects Northern Ireland free abortions appeal – The Guardian

Posted June 15th, 2017 in abortion, appeals, costs, health, news, Northern Ireland, Supreme Court, women by sally

‘The supreme court has ruled that women from Northern Ireland are not entitled to free access to abortions on the NHS, a decision that was condemned by campaigners as a “further blow to women” from the region.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

MPs win right to challenge Victorian law criminalising abortion – The Guardian

Posted March 14th, 2017 in abortion, bills, crime, medicines, news, women by tracey

‘MPs have won the right to introduce a bill to parliament which would decriminalise abortion for the first time by repealing a law that dates back to Victorian times.’

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The Guardian, 13th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs to discuss reform of UK’s Victorian-era abortion law – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2017 in abortion, bills, crime, medicines, news, women by sally

‘In years to come, it may be regarded as one of the last battles for women’s autonomy. Under an obscure Victorian law, passed when women did not even have the vote, the decision to terminate an unplanned pregnancy using pills in the privacy of a home is punishable by life in prison – for the woman and any doctor who helps her.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk